Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
THE KINETOPHONE EXHIBITED AT LABORATORY.
RECORDS IN FOREIGN LANGUACES.
Thomas A. Edison's New Machine in Which the Motion Picture and the Phonograph Are
Synchronized Aroused Enthusiasm When Experiment Proved Successful.
Fourteen New Catalogs Issued by the Victor
Talking Machine Co.
At a demonstration in his laboratory last week
at East Orange, N. J., Thomas A. Edison exhibited
to a number of interested associates the satisfactory
results of his years of experimentation toward per-
fecting a talking motion picture machine. A num-
ber of reels were exhibited to the assemblage, the
first one of which portrayed a lecturer who explained
in detail the features and merits of the wonderful
new invention which he called the "Kinetophone."
The words were placed in the lecturer's mouth by
means of the synchronized phonograph behind the
curtain. Several difficult tests were made by the
lecturer to illustrate the assertion of perfect syn-
chronism, which were successful in every detail,
and substantiated Mr. Edison's statement that he
had at last perfected a machine capable of syn-
chronizing the motion picture and the phonograph.
Six other reels were then exhibited in connection
with the new machine, picturing scenes from light
and grand opera, and all successful.
Mr. Edison predicts a brilliant future for the
talking motion picture machine, when its use be-
comes universal, and has already completed ar-
rangements with seven vaudeville houses in New
York and Brooklyn to install the talking motion
picture machine at an early date.
The Victor Talking Machine Co. is sending out
to its dealers at the present time fourteen cata-
logs of Victor records, listed in twenty-six foreign
languages. Accompanying these catalogs is a let-
ter from the advertising department calling the
attention of Victor representatives to the possi-
bilities of the foreign record field and the com-
pleteness of the Victor lists. The foreign record
business has assumed imposing proportions during
the past few years, and "live-wire" dealers are
taking advantage of every opportunity offered to
develop a trade in this field.
RETURN FROMJTHE FAR EAST.
TALKING MACHINE EXPORTS.
IMPORTANT DEALS NOW UNDER WAY.
The Figures for November Presented—Reports
Show an Increase for the Month.
"Probably every business man feels optimistic
these days," states Prof. Frederic Goodwin, direc-
tor of the educational department of the Columbia
Phonograph Co., "but there is undoubtedly good
cause for this optimism in our department, judg-
ing from the unusually splendid results obtained
by our school representatives in the few months
this department has been in existence. The en-
thusiasm accorded our school plans has been most
gratifying, and the early part of the new year,
we all hope, will see the closing of a large num-
ber of important deals now under way. Our
little volume, 'School Room Music,' is now run-
ning in its sixth edition, and the demand for this
popular "book is a fair indication of the progress
the educational department is making."
The Adams Furniture Co., Ltd., Toronto, one
of the most prominent furniture houses in Canada,
lias installed a complete Columbia line.
H. L. Marker Home from Round the World
Recording T r i p — J . H. Dorian, Oriental Rep-
resentative of the Columbia Co., Reaches
New York After Four Years' Absence.
H. L. Marker, recording expert for the Colum-
bia Phonograph Co., arrived in New York last
week after an extensive trip around the world,
in the interests of the record department of the
company. He experienced a number of strange
and dangerous adventures during his long jour-
ney, but was successful in securing recordings
from residents of countries that have hitherto
steadfastly refused to make records.
Mr. Marker visited China, Japan, Ceylon, and
other countries of the Orient, and returned to
America in time to spend Christmas with his
family in East Orange, N. J. His list of experi-
ences includes a stay in a hospital occasioned
by a lamp explosion, a loss of trunks in Siberia,
and similar thrilling adventures in the wilds of
the Orient. Mr. Marker expects to stay in this
country for some time, and feels well rewarded
for his arduous labor by the splendid collection
of foreign records he secured.
J. H. Dorian, Oriental representative for the
Columbia Co., also arrived in America recently
after an absence of four years. Mr. Dorian has
been very successful with the Columbia line in
the Far East, and relates many interesting stories
of experiences in his territory.
OTTO A. GRESSING RESIGNS.
Otto A. Gressing, supervisor and general mana-
ger of the Victor departments of the four Claflin
stores since their opening a few months ago, re-
tired from this position the first of the year. Ac-
cording to present plans, there will be no suc-
cessor to Mr. Gressing appointed, but each one of
the four stores will have its own manager. The
four stores in question are Lord & Taylor, Henry
Broad, manager; O'Neill-Adams, Harry Munroe,
manager; McCreery's 34th street store, Miss Steele,
manager; and McCreery's 23d street store, Miss
Katherine Tracy, manager.
DOING GOOD BUSINESS IN CUBA.
M. D. Easton, traveling representative for the
export department of the Columbia Phonograph
Co., recently returned from a month's trip to Cuba.
He visited the Columbia Co.'s agents in Havana,
Frank G. Robins & Co., and states that this active
and aggressive concern closed one of the best
years in its history in both talking machine and
dictaphone departments.
L. C. Mountcastle, traveling ambassador for
the Birmingham, Ala., store of the Columbia
Phonograph Co., arrived in the east this week
for a short visit. Mr. Mountcastle visited _the
factories of the company at Bridgeport, Conn.,
and the various retail establishments in New
York and vicinity.
(Special to The Review.)
Washington, D. C, Jan. 6, 1913.
In the summary of exports and imports of the
commerce of the United States for the month
of November (the latest period for which it has
been compiled), which has just been issued by
the Bureau of Statistics of the Department of
Commerce and Labor, the following interesting
figures relating to talking machines and supplies
are set forth:
The total exports of talking machines, records
and supplies for November, 1912, amounted to
$302,714, as compared with $269,556 for the same
month of the previous year. The eleven months'
exportation of talking machines, records and sup-
plies amounted to $2,343,550.
PROOFS OF VICTOR PUBLICITY.
Accompanied by a letter of unusual force and
logic, the Victor Talking Machine Co. sent out
this week to Victor dealers proofs of the advertise-
ments to be used this month in the daily news-
papers under the same arrangement as in recent
months, whereby the dealer may share with the
company in order to reap the full benefits of the
publicity. The heading of the copy to be used this
month is: "If you only knew what pleasure the
Victor-Victrola brings into your home, you wouldn't
be without one for a single day." Some idea of
the value of the accompanying letter may be
gleaned from the opening paragraph which started
off in the following interesting manner: "If you
could borrow a little horsepower from Niagara
Falls without expense you would do it quickly and
feel proud of your shrewdness."
TAKE ON TALKING MACHINES.
The rapidly growing list of Columbia represen-
tatives was augmented this week by the addition
of three progressive concerns who placed sub-
stantial initial (orders for immediate delivery.
Manager H. A. Yerkes of the wholesale depart-
ment is greatly pleased to report the following
new Columbia agents: S. R. Leland & Sons,
Worcester, Mass.; Robert W. Carter, Concord,
Mass., and the F. A. Guttenberger Co., Macon,
Ga. The last named house is one of the pro-
gressive and active 'piano concerns of the South,
and expects to consummate an excellent* talking-
machine business during the ensuing year.
LATEST ADDITIOrVrO GIMBEL LINE.
The Columbia Phonograph Co. recently com-
pleted arrangements with Gimbel Bros., New York,
whereby this prominent establishment will handle
a complete line of Columbia products. The initial
dfsplay is now being shown in the handsome talk-
ing-machine warerooms of the store on the eighth
floor.
INCREASE YOUR
INCOME
Piano merchants, who have not
investigated the talking machine
field, will find that the subject
is one of deep interest to them
and they will also learn that talk-
ing machines constitute a line
which can be admirably blended
with piano selling.
The advance that has been
made in this special field has been
phenomenal and every dealer
who desires specific information
concrning
talking
machines
should receive The Talking Ma-
chine World regularly.
This is the only publication in
America devoted exclusively to
the interests of the talking ma-
chine, and each issue contains a
vast fund of valuable information
which the talking machine job-
bers and dealers say is worth ten
times the cost of the paper to.
to them.
You can receive the paper
regularly at a cost of $1.00 a year
and we know of no manner in
which $1.00 can be expended
which will supply as much valu-
able information.
EDWARD LYMAN BILL, Publisher,
No. 373 Fourth Avenue.
New York.